Footwear



.ruim 2, 1931. M. L. PATERSQN 1,808,063

FOOTWEAR Filed Ju1y 1e; 1929 Patented .im 2.1931'l Y NORTON L. PATEBSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

COMPANY, OF IALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, -A COBPDBATIONOF M ASSAGEUSETTS h FOOTWEAR Application led July 18, '1929 Serial No. 878.598.

This invention relates to improvements in footwear, and more particularly to an imroved shoe sole of the type that is intended or sport wear.

In certain athletic sports, such as the game of basket ball, the shoes of the players are subject to unusual stresses and wear due to the .necessity for sudden starting, stopping' and change in the direction of movement. Furthermore, these same conditions make light Weight shoes desirable and impose severe strains u on the feet Vof the/players, which lmust be kept in iirst-class condition in order to permit eifective playing of games of this character.

In accordance with this invention, the mai terial of the shoe sole is arranged'to cooperate with the anatom of the foot inl providing the maximum com ort Vand protection to the wearer under the conditions faced in active s rts, such as basket ball, tennis, or the like.

eretofore shoes for this purpose have commonly been provided with soles manufactured from a rubber composition which, for

certain purposes such as basket ball, have been provided with corrugations and/or suction cups to rovide additional traction and to prevent s 'pping More specifically the present inventlon aifords an improved shoe sole of this character which is light in `weight and which ensures unusually eiective traction under all conditions, and which is therefore 'gfoot and avoiding excess weig effective in aiding quick chan es in the direc- Vstopping. of aplayer wearing shoes o this character. Furthermore, the material of the shesole is also arranged to reinforce the sole atthe regionsA ofl greatest wearand strain, thereby permitting the shoe to have a relatively long useful life and permitting the continued maintenance of its excellent tractive abilities for a comparatively longl period of time, while effectively protecting t e wearers t. I In order to permit these desirable results,

.the shoe sole preferabl is'provided-with a continuous marginal ange which may be suitably corrugated and which cooperates with the ribbing upon the intermediate po'rtion of the sole in providing a plurality of vention;

Fig. 1 is'a bottom view of a shoe sole.

receive the wear imposed upon the shoe sole.

This reinforcement accordln 1y strengthens a part of the'shoe Where-the Imposed strains are high and where objectionablewear or breakage is often likely to occur. In addition, the shoe sole is provided with a ad to support the ball portion of the foot. y ably this pad is joined to the marginal ange thus permitting these arts to be reinforced by each other. A pa ofthischaracter is articularly advantageous in a shoe yused.l

ybasket ball players, or individuals participating in simllar active sports, where itis usual .for the pla er to pivot upon the ball of the foot, since requent movements of this `character have ordinarily resulted in the nssIGNon To coNvnnsa Burana' refer.

rapid wearing awayof the portion of the v shoe'sole that sup rti the ball ofthe foot.

Ordinarily bas et all: layers are es eciall likely to have troublpe with the arc es of t cir feet,V due to the heavy strains imposed upon the same by thesudden stops and rapid movements necessitated in this ame. Accordingly it is particularly desirab e in the casefof the shoe used by basket ball players ,to providemeans to support the arch and automatically to oppose any tendency of the latter to fall or break down. In accordance with this invention an integral extension of the mar inal angeof the shoe sole is also preferabl arranged to extend under the ortion of t e same that supports the arc of the foot. Preferably this extension decreases in thickness as it extendsaway from the margin of the sole upon the inner side of. the

same and the insole, which may comprise a suitable layer of cushioning material, may be thickened at this portion of the shoe to cooperate -with this extension in providing a pad that is adapted to support the arch of the players afoot.`

I-n the accompanying drawings, which exl emplify one concrete embodiment of the informed in accordance with the present invention; and n Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on lines 2-2 and 3 3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the sole of a shoe, which includes the forward portion 2 and the heel portion 3, which are connected by a shank 4. Preferably the forward ortion 2 of the sole is Aprovided `virith suita le inter- Y mediate ribbing 5 that may be arranged to provide a plurality of suction cups, thus affording excellent traction for the shoe. A suitably corrugated marginal reinforcement 7 extends about the forward portion 2 of the sole and is continued rearwardly alongthe inner side of the shank 4 to provide a similar reinforcement for the heel portion thereof which may be rovided with any suitable ribbing, or may life of any desired design. As shown, the marginal reinforcement may have a somewhat greater depth than the intermediate ribbing 5.

Preferably apivot pad 10, Vthat is integral with the material of the shoe sole, is arranged upon the the ball o the foot, this pad being integral with the adjoinin portion of the marginal flan e 7. The pa 10 may desirably have a thic ess `which is somewhat less than that of the marginal flange 7 and the ribbing is continued over the pad to provide comparatively shallow irregularities 5a upon this art of the sole. This pad may also be provided with a plurality of additional ribs or corrugations as shown in. Fig. 1. v

Upon the inner side of the shank 4, the marginal flange 7 may have a continuation 11 which forms an arch-supporting pad or thickened portion of the shoe sole. Preferably the surface of this pad 11'inclines toward the surface of the shank and extends somewhat less than one-half way across this part of the sole.

It is evident that a shoe sole constructed in accordance with thepresent invention has its constituent materia] advantageously disposed to receive the strains imposed thereon by active pla such as that involved in the game of basket all and thus to protect the vfoot of the wearer as Well as to provide effective traction without undue weight, and thatthe rtions of the shoe which are' likely to be rst worn away are especially reinforcedin accordance with the present invention. Thus, the marginal flange 7 is arranged to prevent the rapid wearing away of the ed e portion of the shoe which otherwise mi t occur', while pad 10 supports the ball portion ofthe shoe sole'which 1s subjected to excessive wear'b a player who often pivots upon this part o the sole. Furthermore, the arrangement of the element `11 not onl is effective in aiding the proper support o the arch of the foot under all conditions, but this part of the shoe sole, as Well as the marginal flange 7, aids in the maintenance of satisfactory tractive conditions. Since the pads 10 and 11 are integral extensions of the marginal flange ortion thereof that is to support;v

Vflexible to permit the weight of the wearer of the shoe to cause the intermediate ribbing 5 to be pressed into engagement with the floor,

although this ribbing has somewhat less depth than the marginal flange. I prefer to make the latter with a greater depth so that its engagement with the floor will be assured even after the sole has been subjected to considerable Wear, thus ensuring the continued maintenance of excellent tractive conditions and of proper protection to the foot of the wearer. f

I claim :l

1. A shoe sole com risinga forward part having a marginal at least substantially as greatl as that of the remainder of the forward part of the sole, ribs upon the intermediate part of the shoe sole, and a reinforcing pad integral with the marginal flange and disposed upon the ball portion of the sole, said pad having a depth less than that of the ribs, said ribs being extended over said pad, but there having a relatively shallow depth.

2. A shoe sole comprising a forward art having an irregularly surfaced interme iate ange with a thickness portion, a marginal reinforcement extending forcement extending backwardly along the inner side ofthe shank to the heel, andan extension of said reinforcement providing a pad upon the shank to support the arch portion of the foot.

3. A shoe sole comprising a forward ortion withV an intermediate anti-slip sur ace, and a marginal flange havin a thickness somewhat greater than that o the interme' diate part of the forward portion, said flange extending alongthe inner side of the shank and there having suicient thickness to form an arch supporting pad, anda pivot pad upon the ball portion of the sole integral with: said marginal flange.

tion having an irregular surface providing a plurality of depressions, and a pivot pad j 4. A shoe sole comprising a forward porl of less depth than' those in the adjoining part p of the sole, whereby a 'relatively greater v amount of material isprdvided to receive the forward portion, a pivot pad formed upon saidl forward portion to. support the ball of the foot, a marginal flange integralwith said upon the ball-supporting portion of the sole ,120 having an irregular surfacewith depressions pad and extending along the inner edge of the sole tothe shank, said flange being thicker than the adjoining shank portion and thus forming an arch-supporting pad.

' G. A shoe sole comprising a. fore part, ay

heel part., and a shank part, a marginal liange projecting f rom the edge of the body ofthe sole and extending around the edge of the fore part, along the inner edge of the shank part and around the edge of the heel part, a. pivot pad on the bottom of the body of the sole adjacent the marginal flange on the inner side of the fore part, having a depth less than that ofthe marginal fiange and extending part way only across the ball of the sole, non-slip corrugations providing projections on the area. of the fore part within the marginal ilange, the salient surfaces of said projet-tions lying wholly within the plane of the marginal iange. and the depth of the projections on the pivot pad being less than that of the projections on the body of the sole not occupied by the pivot pad.

T. A shoe sole comprising a fore part, a heel part, and a shank part, a marginal flange projecting from the edge of the body of the sole and extending around the edge of the fore part, along the inner edge of the shank part, a pivot pad on the bottom of the body of the sole adjacent the marginal flange on the inner side of the fore part, having a depth less than that of the marginal flange and extending part way only across the'ball vof the sole` and an arch supporting pad integrally formed with the marginal ange on the shank part and with the body of the sole, and extending inward toward the middle of the shank part and part way only across the shank part, and being gradually tapered in thickness toward its inner extremity.

8. A shoe sole comprising a fore part, a heel part, and a shank part, a marginal flange projecting from the edge of the body ofthe sole and extending around the edge of the fore part, along the inner edge of the shank part to the heel part, a pivot pad on the bottom of the body of the sole adjacent the marginal flange on the inner side of the fore part, having a depth less than that of the marginal flange and extendingpart way only across the ball of the sole, non-slip corrugations providing projections on the area. of the fore part within the marginal flange, the salient surfaces of said projections lying wholly within the plane of the marginal iange, and the depth of the projections on the pivot pad being less than that' of the projections on the body of the sole not occupied by the pivot pad, and an arch supporting pad integrally formed with the marginal flange on the shank part and with the body of the sole, and extending inward toward the middle of the shank part and part way only ai ross the shank part, and being` gradually to conform to the contour of t tapered in thickness toward its inner extremity. l

9. A shoe sole comprising a corrugated forward portion, a shank, and a heel portion, a marginal rib having a substantially uniform width disposed about the forward portion of the sole, said rib extending along the inner` margin ofthe shank to the heel portion, the inner edge of the rib diverging from its outer edge at the shank to providea pad shaped to conform to the longitudinal arch, said pad having a surface with a. general inclination toward the adjoining surface of the intermediate portion of the shank, wherebv the nad conforms to the shape of the arch. l0. A shoe sole comprising a forward vportion, a shank and a heel port1on,said forward portion being generally characterized by deep corrugations, but having a pivot pad free from deep corrugations'adjoining its inner --marginto support the ball of the foot, whereby the pad I provides a relatively greater amount of material to receive the wear due to pivoting upon the ball of the foot.

11. A shoe sole com rising a corrugated forward portion, a sha and a. heel ortion, a marginal flange extending Vabout t e edge of said forward portion and having a greater thickness'than the remainder ofsaid forward Y portion, and a ivot pd to support the ballv of the foot, sai pad ing integral with the flange and having a greater average thickness loo portion being generally characterized by'deep anti-slip depressions, a mar al flange extending about the edge of said forward ortion, said flange being extended to the. eel portion of the shoe, the iange having two lateral extensions roviding pads adJoining the inner margin ci) the sole, one of said ads being located on the forward portion o the sole to underlie the ball portion of the foot and bein free from the deep depressions in the adjoining part of the sole, the other extension being located upon the shank to support the arc and providina pad shaped e arch of the foot. l 13. A shoe sole comprising a. forward por-- tion, a shank and a heel portion, a marginal iange extending about the edge of said forward ortion and having a greater thickness than t e remainder of said forward portion, said flange bein extended to the heel portion of the sole, an a lateral extension of said flange upon theshank of the shoe shaped toA conform with the' contour of the arch of the foot and to support the latter.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this 10th day of July, 1929.

MORTON L. PATERSON. 

